ABINGDON, Va. (WJHL) — On Sunday night, over 15,000 homes and businesses in Southwest Virginia found themselves in the dark as snow and ice wreaked havoc, leaving parts of the region frozen and powerless.

Earlier in the day, News Channel 11 connected with Appalachian Power Company to gain insights into their restoration efforts and rapid team expansion capabilities.

The power outages have impacted several establishments along Highway 58 in Abingdon, including gas stations, restaurants, and hotels.

According to Izzy Post from Appalachian Power Company, crews have been reaching out across state lines to bolster their workforce.

“We’ve mobilized thousands of additional crew members,” Post explained. “These teams are strategically placed throughout our three-state region, with some coming from as far away as Wisconsin to lend a hand. We continue to reach out for more support as needed.”

The Town of Marion’s downtown roads near the fire department and library were covered in ice and snow, which created unsafe conditions for electricians to work.

“The biggest concern we have right now is actually the roadways and being able to access and get to the areas that we need to get to to restore power,” Post said. “Just the way the ice is on the road right now, conditions are really treacherous.”

Post said Appalachian Power Company follows a chain of restoration to keep outages organized and prioritized.

“We have been preparing for this to be a multi-day event, from the get-go, and we’re still working towards that,” Post said. “You know, we tell folks to just kind of pack their patience. Again, these roadways are going to be really difficult to access for some of these. These issues are occurring. And to just be prepared should a prolonged outage occur.”

Dozens of businesses, schools and government offices are closed or delayed on Monday due to road conditions. For a complete list, visit Tri-Cities, TN/VA School Closings.